03 October 2025 , 18:45
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Russia is attempting to jam UK military satellites on a regular basis, according to the head of the UK Space Command.
Speaking to the BBC, Maj Gen Paul Tedman said Russian forces were actively trying to disrupt UK-based military activities "weekly" and were closely monitoring the country’s space assets.
"We’re seeing our satellites being jammed by the Russians on a reasonably persistent basis," he said.
The UK operates about six dedicated military satellites for communications and surveillance, which Tedman said were equipped with counter-jamming technology.
He added: "They’ve got payloads onboard that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them."
The threat of space-based interference is not limited to the UK. In September, Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, revealed that Russia had been tracking two Intelsat satellites used by the German military.
"They can jam, blind, manipulate or kinetically disrupt satellites," he said at a space conference in Berlin.
In response to growing international tensions, the UK and the US last month conducted their first coordinated satellite manoeuvre in space, in what defence officials hailed as a major step forward in allied cooperation.
Between 4 and 12 September, a US satellite was repositioned in orbit to inspect a UK satellite and confirm it was functioning properly. The test was part of Operation Olympic Defender, a joint military framework aimed at improving satellite defence and resilience.
"Expertly executed with US Space Command, I could not be more pleased or proud of the rapid progress we are making with our allies," Tedman said.
The escalation in space comes as tensions with Russia continue to rise.
The UK foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, warned last week that Britain was "ready to act" after the US president, Donald Trump, publicly urged NATO allies to shoot down intruding Russian aircraft.
In a speech to the UN in September, Cooper condemned Moscow’s "provocative and reckless" violations of NATO airspace in recent weeks, including incidents over Estonia, Poland, and Romania.
Politics Editor